North Central Research Station

Linking population viability, habitat suitability, and landscape simulation models for conservation planning

Large-scale conservation planning often requires assessment of landscape change and wildlife habitat or viability and comparisons of landscape attributes, habitat, and wildlife viability under alternative plans or management actions. Some methods exist for assessing these features independently at a single point in time, but there are no readily available methods for linking large scale landscape simulations with assessments of habitat and viability. We demonstrate the application of a population viability model for ovenbirds that is linked to realistic landscape simulations using a GIS-based habitat suitability index (HSI) model. We simulated potential future characteristics of a hardwood forest in southern Missouri under 2 tree harvest scenarios using LANDIS

Why We Need Large-Scale Conservation Planning

Large scale conservation planning is required to ensure viability of wildlife populations, is mandated for some federal and state agencies (such as the USDA Forest Service), and is also being pursued by joint ventures between federal and state agencies and non-government organizations. The tools developed in this study are needed to link landscape changes and proposed management actions to wildlife habitat and viability.

Outcomes

Combining landscape, habitat, and viability models in a single analysis provides benefits beyond those of the individual modeling stages. A comprehensive modeling approach encompasses all components and processes of interest, allows direct comparison of the relative levels of uncertainty in each stage of modeling, and allows analysis of the economic benefits and costs of different land use plans, which may be affected by landscape management, habitat manipulation, and wildlife conservation efforts.

Using population viability, habitat suitability, and landscape simulation models in an integrated analysis for conservation planning is an important advancement because habitat quality is a critical link between human land use decisions and wildlife population viability. The approach demonstrated here will allow land managers and planners to more effectively incorporate habitat and viability issues into land-use and management decisions at large scales.